1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to lubricant additives useful as friction modifiers or reducers. It is further directed to a method of reducing fuel consumption in internal combustion engines by adding the above-referred to additives, hydrocarbyl molybdates to the lubricating oil used therein.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Efforts to reduce the amount of fuel consumed by automobile engines and the like have revolved around finding lubricants that reduce the overall friction in the engine, thus allowing a reduction in the engine's energy requirements.
Many of the solutions have been strictly mechanical, as for example, setting the engine for a leaner burn or simply building smaller cars and smaller engines. On the other hand, a considerable amount of work has been done with mineral lubricating oils and greases by modifying them with additives to enhance their friction properties. New synthetic lubricants also have been prepared and compounded for use in today's modern engines.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,140 discloses the use of phosphomolybdates as extreme pressure additives. The ethyl homologue of the additive compounds embodied herein has been reported in the literature L. Malatesta, Gazz. Chem. ital., 69, 408 (1939), and R. N. Jowitt and P. C. H. Mitchell, J. Chem. Soc. A, 1702 (1970). However, it is oil insoluble and we are not aware of any disclosures in the art of any oil soluble homologues. So far as is known the hydrocarbyl molybdates in accordance with this invention are neither taught nor suggested by any prior reference or combination of references, patent or literature.